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February 7, 2013 (SAVANNAH, GA. U.S.A.)
Today, solo guitarist “Gladius” will release his new all-acoustic live EP, LiveWire June 2012 for free digital download. The album will be available online at the artist's official website: www.gladiusmusic.com

The album was recorded last summer at the all too recently closed Live Wire Music Hall (RIP) located on the historic city's River Street, where Gladius shared the bill with Larry Mitchell, the Dirk Quinn Band, and the Royal Noise during a pair of instrumental shows in June.

Gladius first hit the scene in Atlanta with his self-branded 'Baroque-Ethnic-Metal-Fusion' debut, Post-Operation Demonstration (2011) – on June 14, marking the anniversary of the day he came down with crippling symptoms of nerve damage – and celebrating overcoming it – both physically and spiritually. The album has received a bit of airplay on Christian rock radio stations (both FM and internet). "Beyond the Riff" DJ Rob Duplantis (cousin of Jesse Duplantis) described the artist's sound as, "The first type of music that actually goes "Beyond the Riff". 5 thumbs up."

Since then, the composer relocated to Savannah, and has focused more on his solo-acoustic live performance. The result? A rather fresh and spontaneous, often improvisational approach that sounds less like classic rock and metal shredders Yngwie Malmsteen or Eddie Van Halen, and a lot more reminiscent of ethnic, Spanish-flamenco guitar and such artists as: Paco de Lucia, Al Di Meola, and Rodrigo y Gabriela. Fans have since christened him, “Flamenco Malmsteen.”

Gladius is also not afraid to put technology to effective use (perhaps a trick inspired by Christian guitarist Phil Keaggy), incorporating a Digitech DL-8 delay / looper pedal into his solo concerts, allowing him to 'loop' (record) and layer brief passages on the spot. This technique is demonstrated in the brand new tracks, “Flamenco Frenzy: II” and “Ludwig Paganini” (the latter being loosely derived from Beethoven's 7th Symphony). In addition to other Gladius originals, two arrangements of classic covers are included: “The Sound of Silence” (Simon & Garfunkel) and the concert favorite “Paint It Black” (Rolling Stones).

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GladiusAtlanta, Georgia

In an era when expertise and originality are often overlooked in lieu of fleeting flash and flare, Gladius defines
innovation as a composer and mastery as an instrumentalist. Inspired by the great classical composers, Spanish flamenco legends, and melodic metal masters, Gladius is perpetually pushing the boundaries of his Baroque-Ethnic-Metal fusion....more